The goal of this International Center for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (ICRC) application is to continue development of a sustainable international research collaboration that will contribute to the preservation of knowledge and use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Hong Kong and China. Investigators from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK); Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland Baltimore; the University of Illinois, Chicago; the University of Western Sydney; and Mayo Medical Center will collaborate on rigorous, multi-disciplinary research on functional bowel disorders and TCM. We will conduct three projects at CUHK: Project #1 will evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture using a rat neonatal stress induced IBS model on behavioral and visceral responses to pain and colonic, spinal, and central serotonergic neurotransmitter systems; Project #2 will establish the biological potency of the TCM herbal preparation using in vitro ileal rat or guinea pig preparations, and the safety, adverse effects, and toxicity using the rat neonatal stress induced IBS model. Project #3 will be a pilot clinical trial evaluating the safety and dose-response of the herbal formulation in patients with IBS. Support will be provided by an Administrative Core, which will coordinate the program and provide an atmosphere to enhance further research efforts; a Botanical Core responsible for authentication, standardization, and quality control of herbal materials; and a Data Management and Statistical Analysis Core to provide expertise on study design, conduct, and statistical analyses. Together these units will address the science underlying the use of acupuncture and herbal therapy for IBS and conduct translational research in TCM. The ongoing collaboration will provide the foundation for development of a strong, multidisciplinary, competitive, and long-lasting research endeavor that will integrate scientific rigor with traditional, indigenous knowledge.